Information Note on the Court’s case-law No.
June 1997
Philis v. Greece (no. 2) - 19773/92
Judgment 27.6.1997
Article 6
Criminal proceedings
Disciplinary proceedings
Article 6-1
Reasonable time
Length of criminal and disciplinary proceedings: violation
[This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.]
I.ARTICLE 6 § 1 OF THE CONVENTION
A. Reasonableness of length of criminal proceedings
1. Period to be taken into consideration
Starting-point: appearance before investigating judge.
End: Court of Appeal's judgment.
Total: more than five years.
2. Relevant criteria
Case not complex - applicant had not contributed to prolonging proceedings - applicant convicted at first instance - three-year period of inactivity.
Conclusion: violation (unanimously).
B.Reasonableness of length of disciplinary proceedings
1. Applicability
Disciplinary proceedings in which the right to continue to practise a profession is at stake give rise to "contestations (disputes) over civil rights" (settled case-law) - procedural guarantees apply to all litigants, not just those who have not won their case in the national courts - Article 6 § 1 applies.
2. Period to be taken into consideration
Starting-point: Greece's recognition of right of individual petition.
End: Supreme Disciplinary Council's decision.
Total: more than seven years.
3. Relevant criteria
Case not complex - applicant had not contributed to prolonging proceedings - duty to administer justice expeditiously incumbent in first place on relevant authorities, especially in proceedings in which they have the power of initiative and the power to ensure that progress is made - long period of inactivity between lodging of appeal with Supreme Disciplinary Council and hearing.
Conclusion: violation (unanimously).
II.ARTICLE 50 OF THE CONVENTION
A.Pecuniary damage: no causal link with violations found.
B.Non-pecuniary damage: compensation awarded.
C.Costs and expenses: compensation awarded.
Conclusion: respondent State to pay specified sums to applicant (unanimously).
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
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